James Bruce

Born in Scotland in 1730, he was a traveler, diplomat, and author whose journeys through North Africa and Ethiopia made him one of the best-known explorers of his time. He is especially remembered for confirming the source of the Blue Nile at Lake Tana after years of difficult travel.

After returning home, he published Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile, a large and lively account of his experiences. Some readers doubted parts of his story at first, but his reputation grew as later visitors confirmed much of what he had described.

He died in 1794, leaving behind a record of curiosity, endurance, and close observation that still gives modern readers a vivid picture of the places he visited.